Solid Energy has told staff the company could be liquidated, as it struggles to service around $320 million worth of debt while enduring a massive slump in the price of coal.

"In our staff updates, we have talked about three potential paths for the company - some arrangement that would allow us to trade on, some kind of controlled sell-down, and liquidation," a Solid Energy spokesman said.

No decision concerning the company's future had yet been made, nor had a timeline for a decision been established.

Solid Energy had been regularly updating its staff about the issue its board first talked about in February, he said. Back then, the board foresaw an issue arising around the company's ability to either repay or refinance its debt, due in September 2015. Solid Energy had "acted early" in starting talks with the banks and shareholder [the Government], he said.

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union organiser Garth Elliott could not be reached for comment.

Earlier this month, Solid Energy announced its plan to cut eight jobs across four of its West Coast operations in an effort to become more efficient.

The operations affected were Reddale Mine near Reefton, and Strongman Mine, the Reefton Distribution Centre, and coal washeries at Burkes Creek and Rocky Creek.

If the final decision is as planned, three managers, four operators and an administrator will be made redundant.

The company confirmed yesterday it had made four of the eight roles redundant.

"What we've done today [Friday] is confirm the non-union changes, involving four redundancies at management and support level. Their one-month notice periods start today," the spokesman said.

Solid Energy had hoped to make the full decision announcement yesterday, but was still in talks with the other four employees, who were covered by the collective agreement.

Those talks pushed the announcement out another week or so, he said.

He was unable to say how much money the company would save as a result of the redundancies, both confirmed and planned.

"This is a tough market and these changes are designed to ensure the business remains cost competitive."

In May, Solid Energy announced its plan to cut 166 jobs at Stockton opencast mine and six jobs at its idled Spring Creek underground mine near Greymouth. The number then cut at Stockton included 114 employees, 38 vacant positions and about 15 contractors' jobs. In 2014, Solid Energy cut 185 jobs at Stockton. Around 312 people still work there.